Genocide sends the second group of them to prison Age and poor health come to the aid of the former chairman of the Internment-Expulsion Commission Genocide sends the second group of them to prison Handcuffs also for 9 other former Block members Age and poor health come to the aid of the former chairman of the Internment-Expulsion Commission Yesterday, the prosecutor’s office also placed in handcuffs nine other former Block members, accused of genocide committed in Albania during their time in high state office, before 1990, and in particular for the mass internments and expulsions ordered by various bodies. Thus, the following were taken into custody: Hekuran Isai, Simon Stefani, Aranit Cela, Manush Myftiu, Foto Çami, Llambi Gegprifti, Veiz Haderi, Rrapi Mino and Qemal Bregasi, bringing to 21 the list of those arrested from among the former high-ranking officials of the communist regime. In this list, the total number is 34, and it is headed by the former last communist president and successor to dictator Hoxha, Ramiz Alia. Yesterday, at the Tirana Court, Judge Arben Vasha ordered detention in prison for eight former officials, with the exception of Manush Myftiu, for whom only house arrest was imposed, as has been done for Leni Cuko, Haxhi Lleshi, Sulejman Bushati and Gaqo Neshon. In this way, thanks to his great age and poor state of health, the former chairman of the Internment-Expulsion Commission escapes isolation in prison cells. The prosecutor, Shkëlqim Gani, after reading the charges, requested that the accusation be classified under Articles 75 and 76 of the Penal Code, which provide for a sentence ranging from 15 years to life imprisonment.

What lies behind the “stir” over the electoral law? Once again, the President of the Republic is attacked from within his own party ranks. This time it is the head of the Tirana branch of the PD, Brojka, who rises up against the president’s idea of preserving the electoral law and his promise of the broadest possible participation of political forces in parliament. The president himself, at the meeting with representatives of various parties, speaking about the content of the electoral law, said that “it would be an insult to democracy, to pluralism, to limit the participation of parties in parliament”. But before the echoes of that meeting and the effect of the president’s words had died down, two high-ranking PD officials, one of whom was Brojka himself, opposed this, putting forward versions leaning toward a majoritarian system. Such ideas could also have been supported at that time, although without particularly convincing arguments, by some Dr. Skënder Meka, spinning a long article. Once again, Mr. Brojka, in an interview given to the daily “Koha Jonë”, seeks to justify the majoritarian system, using the already stale argument of the “consolidation of the state”. Speaking about the electoral law, the interview does not fail to “show its teeth” to the small parties, mentioning the majority of PD robots in parliament, while the efforts of 13 parties for the electoral law are reduced by the head of the PD in Tirana to “an effort that starts from their own interest”. Also, according to him, the idea of a majoritarian law is not considered by him as a law in line with the interests of PD, but rather as a law that serves the interests of Albania. So, reading things like that, one can easily conclude that PD is Albania, insofar as only its interests coincide with those of Albania, while those of the other parties do not. What is left to be done then? Such parties should be outlawed, although the head of the Tirana democrats is a bit more merciful; he limits himself only to denying them the right to enter parliament. And for this, the PD majority in Parliament, created with their votes, will be used, and those votes are no longer at its side as they once were on that distant 22 March. But, unfortunately, such reasoning is made in a one-sided way, as if PD is guaranteed a victory of more than 50% in the upcoming elections, something that is in contradiction with the political developments in the country, during which considerable losses from its ranks have been noted. The idea of a two-party parliament, so dear to some PD leaders, leads one to the conclusion that they would undermine democracy because, as far as the other political forces are concerned, the balance leans toward the...

Buuukëa

Even yesterday, the Greek front kept the figures unchanged regarding the repatriation of Albanian emigrants. The bad luck of carrying out this Greek police operation fell two days ago on around 300 emigrants who were forcibly returned despite having regular documents. The contingent returned yesterday had been caught by the Greek police in 4 neighborhoods of Athens, where the bloody campaign of the new Greek prime minister Simitis continues. Thus, even though official Tirana’s congratulatory telegrams have reached Athens on the election of the new Greek prime minister, it seems that the Greek stance toward Albanian emigrants will remain unchanged. Every year, the Greek sweep has returned over 100,000 Albanian emigrants, maintaining a completely opposite attitude toward other emigrants in Greece from Eastern countries, even though Albanians do the hardest jobs that, for now, Greeks can no longer do. Albanians have several times been misled by Greece over legalization, which it has always withdrawn with demands unacceptable to the Albanian side. B.P

P.5

The Freedom Pole is solid The “National Alliance” party in first place in the polls The Freedom Pole is solid Berlusconi: No to a government that Fini does not want The “National Alliance” party in first place in the polls The former Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the centre-right alliance, officially ruled out the possibility of a government that would be opposed by the “National Alliance” (AN) of Gianfranco Fini. In an interview published on Saturday by “La Stampa”, Berlusconi said that “there will never be a government supported by “Forza Italia” with Fini in opposition”. Berlusconi is the leader of the “Forza Italia” party which, together with the “National Alliance”, the CDU of Pierferdinando Casini and the populists of Butiglione, forms the “Freedom Pole”. “There is no interest and no desire on our part to put our coalition into crisis,” he continued. Between Berlusconi and Fini there was a moment of disagreement, since Fini was against the idea of a left-right super-coalition, an idea put forward by Berlusconi after Prime Minister Dini resigned. According to an opinion poll published on Thursday, the “National Alliance” will win 23.4% of the vote, coming first in this poll, compared with 21% for Masimo D’Alema’s PDS and 17.8% for what “Forza Italia” will receive.